by Lucy Rains
I turned over my shoulder, a smile spreading on my face. “You know you can’t stop me.”
His jaw clicked with frustration and I winked.
Letting out a heavy sigh he pointed, “Go straight for the entrance. Gavin and Kyson will be behind you, Alex will go to-”
“I know,” I cut him off. “The utility building.” I turned back forward. “To cut the power feeds.” My voice trailed off as I refocused. “Keep an eye on Charles.”
Trees began flying by me again, my muscles screaming to fly. And I let them. I heard the pounding steps of the guys behind me, trying to keep up but unable. My blood yearned for Roman. My energy was coursing through my veins. Soon I had covered two miles, then three, then four. At mile five I sensed the first threat.
I didn’t slow down. Didn’t stop to assess the person waiting on a platform in a nearby tree. My legs continued pumping as my eyes looked up. I heard the click of a radio, a low voice. My hands flew up and I let my energy shoot out, throwing the man backwards off of the platform. A shot rang from behind me, hitting him before he hit the ground.
There were three others ahead of us. These men were alerted to our presence and were ready. I didn’t need to slow down, didn’t need a moment to rest. I serpentined around trees to throw off my visual through their rifle scopes. Not even ducking as a shot pelted a tree to the right of my head. When I came around the front of the tree, my left leg kicked up on the trunk of the tree and propelled me upwards to a height where I was almost level with the tree platform and the man on top.
My energy shot out, knocking him backwards. Without pausing, as a bullet hit him in the head, I rolled to the ground, avoiding another shot from a nearby platform. I twisted and somersaulted backwards, landing behind a tree for cover.
I stood still, my breath even and steady. As I thought about my next move, a slight clicking nose to my left drew my attention. My head whipped around to see a tiny black square with a blinking red light.
My hand reached for the nearest rock and sent it sailing into the camera. The shattering of glass and plastic echoed around the forest. I felt the distraction this created in the enemy aiming for my head and spun around the tree. My arms raised, my energy throwing him forward. Kyson brought his weapon up and fired off a single shot.
I let the momentum roll me back onto my feet and I began running to the next platform fifty feet away. I found the man crouched, his head behind his scope. A black scarf tied around his face, with only one eye for me to see. I brought up a hand and aimed my palm straight for the scope. Letting my speed increase, bringing me closer, I threw my energy forward, shoving the scope into the man’s eye with a violent thrust.
He jerked back with a yelp, falling onto his rear. I threw both hands up and blasted enough energy at the platform to send him flying off and wooden shards splintered from the spot where he had sat. Gavin appeared by my side and finished him off.
A man on foot appeared from behind a tree, his face covered with a similar black scarf, and a large weapon resting on his shoulder. Gavin grabbed me and threw me to the ground, the shots flying over my head. I rolled out of the way as Gavin fired off a shot.
Jumping to my feet, I began running again in the direction of the compound. The aggression became more numerous and I could feel it clear in my mind. The enemy was multiplying. On both sides of us, there were men coming to thwart our approach. Soon their footsteps would be heard by the others.
They would not stop me.
The guys were beginning to keep up, closer on my heels and by my side. My energy could reach farther and faster than their bullets, they needed to let me lead.
Pierce let out a grunt as a man took him by surprise, jumping out from behind a tree and knocking him to the ground. I stuttered to a stop, my body turning in his direction. The man held a weapon in both hands, screaming in Russian. My hand reached for my knife without thinking, whipping it from its sheath and sent it flying into the man’s neck. There was a loud choke as he hit the earth. I ran forward and yanked it out from the man’s bloodied neck without stopping, turning on my heels to press forward.
Kyson was aiming his weapon at someone. Alex had just dropped a man. I only went forward ten steps before a man appeared before me, two more behind him. All screaming in Russian. I slowed to a long stride, sheathing my knife, holding the man’s glare. His screaming continued, my hands raised and I let out a force of energy. But this time I controlled it, wrapping it around the man’s neck and twisting.
The two behind him pressed forward and I felt the bullet enter my shoulder and then my thigh. I dropped to one knee and snarled. Warm liquid pooled under my clothes. My hands came up and I threw the men backwards. Gasping at the fire of pain, I heaved myself up and walked forward. My energy shot out again and I wrapped it around the men and threw them into the trunk of a tree. I could hear the crack of their spines through the gunfire.
I was forced to a brisk walk as I waited for my wounds to heal, for my body to be ready to fly again. All four guys were taking on one man after another, when one dropped they made it a few steps before another was firing at them.
My hands flew up and I spread my energy force wide to encompass the enemies racing towards them, throwing them off their balance and to the ground. This gave the guys more time to take out their attackers without being harmed.
An alarm sounded to the north. My head jerked in the direction it came from and the sounds around me disappeared. A high grating noise that swelled over and over. My heart raced, anxious to get to the building it came from. The second I felt able, my feet were pounding into the earth again, propelling me forward.
As I crested an embankment, a large, white stoned building filled my vision and I stopped.
I had seen this building from all angles, except this one. Straight on, directly in front. It reminded me of a haunted psychiatric ward from the 1800s. The ivy growing up the sides, the chipped bricks, the worn and faded paint. The windows lined alongside each other with precise measurements, stacked three stories tall.
Men in green camo began running in front of the building, shouting at each other over the alarm. Some came from the door I knew to be the front entrance, some came from behind. They began taking positions in various places, readying their weapons. I would have shot my energy forward in that moment but there was a problem.
Between me and them was thick black gate, 8 feet tall, sealed closed and locked tight.
I found a few rocks and demolished the cameras lining the top of the fence. The guys came up behind me as I was wrapping my hands around the imbedded locking mechanism within the front of the gate. My energy flowed through me in a rush, burning through the lock and seeping into its metallic cracks. I squeezed my hands harder around the metal, feeling it warp and weaken in my grip. When I knew it was ready, I jerked my hands forward and felt the metal rip free and fracture in my hands. Where the solid metal panel once was, was now missing a section where the lock had been.
With a hard shove the large entry swung open, all ten feet of it, hitting the other side of the fence with a harsh clatter.
The sound of an automatic weapon being readied sounded on both sides of me. The guys waited, eyeing the dozens of men before us.
“Let me go first,” I demanded.
“Jade,” Gavin growled in protest.
The emotions of the men before me held no fear. They watched us, confident, aggressive and hostile. Their eyes tracking our every move. I raised my head and smelled the air around me, feeling my energy surge in response. My mind reached out for the one I sought, my eyes tracing the windows. I saw nothing. But I felt his fear, his confusion.
I allowed my canines to lengthen as my muscles flexed within every part of my body. My upper lip curled up in anger at having of one my victri being withheld from me. My mind narrowed its focus on my one goal, blocking out all other distractions. My nostrils flared and my fingers flexed.
“She will be fine,” Pierce said behind me, cocking his gun. “Let
her lead.”
A rush of wind blew past me, whipping my hair around my face as I jumped up from my position. My arms hung straight by my side, my hands opened wide. Forcing myself to walk, I moved across the front line and into the line of fire. My mouth opened in a roar of challenge as I released a line of energy that swept over the entire lawn, over every man, pushing back every bullet fired, until every man had been knocked backwards and their bullets pelted into the stone building.
I drew my hands back and threw them forward, sending an enormous bolt of energy through the 1st floor windows surrounding the main entry door. The shattering of glass caused the men on the ground to cringe and scream in fear, covering their heads.
As the men began to grab their weapons and jump up, my victri ran passed me, taking fire and going hand to hand. I caught sight of Charles body slamming a man to the ground, aiming his gun and firing. My focus tripped for a second, watching Charles to make sure he was okay. At that moment an arm came around my neck and pulled me to the ground.
On my back, my legs came up in time to kick into my attacker’s chest with enough power to force him back several steps. I threw my legs behind my head and rolled to a crouch. He recovered and began taking another lunging step towards me, but my knife was out and buried in his chest before he could touch me again.
I felt the presence coming up from behind, could feel the excitement at catching me off guard. Pushing off my feet, I dove into forward somersault, pulled the knife out of the wet bloodied canvas shirt and flipped around at the same time to let the knife fly forward into my oncoming threat.
I stood up, throwing my energy out to an approaching man holding a gun and wrapped my energy around his head and yanked it forward with a twist. I pulled my knife out of the second man’s chest and stood up to keep moving.
On my way to the door, I jumped on a mans back that was aiming a gun at Charles’s head while he fought off two other men, driving the knife into his thick neck. The man fell silently and I leapt off of his back before he hit the ground.
I slowed to a walk as I approached the two men guarding the door, firing at me. I threw up a wall of energy defense again, forcing their bullets to drop and then bounce backwards as I shoved my energy into the men. They flew back with enough force their heads left blood streaks as they slid lifeless down the closed doors.
I was forced to use my energy around their bodies, lifting them and throwing them out of the way of the doors I needed to enter. I closed my eyes for a moment, pushing my 6th sense forward to feel the threat that awaited me on the other side. Two, three, four men. Not as many as I had expected. But then again, they probably didn’t expect me to get this far.
I took a step back and reached within me, gathering a strong enough pulse to push through the thick wooden doors. When my hands burned with the energy I needed, I threw my hands forward and the doors flew off their hinges and disappeared inside, opening the way for me to continue.
I ducked behind the outer wall, taking a deep breath and pulling on my energy again. Fatigue was not an option. I reached for my gun andI pulled out my knife. I gripped both tightly. My focus was centered on exactly where the aggressive emotions were situated and then I moved.
I spun to the front of the door, letting my knife fly as soon as I faced the entrance. I took a step forward and raised my weapon, firing off a bullet in the direction I felt heated hostility. My body tucked and rolled forward to avoid the shots coming from the spiral stairwell. I grasped my knife free and ducked around a wall corner.
The barrage of bullets from the outside had slowed, the shouting had lessened. Now much of the heated emotions came from the inside of the building. Urgent, anxious.
I waited in my spot, wanting the two men from upstairs to move before I did. When I peeked my head around the corner, I saw Gavin enter the front door and fire off multiple rounds in the direction they had been waiting. When I felt their emotions disappear from my mind, I stepped out.
Gavin sighed at the sight of me, and I cringed at the sight of him. Blood spatters on his neck, his shirt torn in two places.
“Let’s go Princess,” he barked, interrupting my brief examination.
“I’m going up,” I said, walking forward.
“I’m going to the security room,” he responded, clicking his gun to the ready and walking past me.
I moved to the base of the stairs and looked up. Closing my eyes until I felt the exact room, the exact place Roman was in. Locating him with my mind, with my energy, and gasping at the wild thrum of vibrations that pulsed in my chest.
My eyes opened and a smile spread across my face as I sprinted up the stairs.
Chapter 32
My body moved like lightning. Twisting around dark hallways until I knew his room was right in front of me. I quickly took out the two guards standing in front of the door, wrenching their bodies violently up and out of my way.
My heart thrummed like hummingbird wings. I pressed my hand to my chest and breathed deeply. My feet moved forward, my mouth suddenly parched. I shut out everything around me as my hand reached out and touched the steel door in front of me.
A tiny window with frosted glass was set in the middle of the door, allowing someone to see silhouettes of what was inside. Fear pulsed behind the door, mixed with aggression. That was when I realized Roman was not alone.
My hands gripped around the silver coated handle and I burned my energy into the key lock. My eyes pinched closed, my teeth grit. I needed to hurry. The metal began to soften, and eventually twisted in my hand. The locking mechanism released and I was able to rip the door open.
It hit the wall with a bang, but the people inside seemed to expect this. My eyes flew over Roman for a brief second, before landing on the obese man that held a gun to Roman’s head.
“Stop,” he said in a thick accent. “I vill kill ‘im.”
I couldn’t look at Roman. Couldn’t let myself be distracted by his presence. Hot fire burned through my chest at the threat to him and I winced.
“Do not raise your hands!” The man shouted. The tie around his neck seemed to dig into his fat, causing his veins to pulse and his face to redden. “Get on the floor!”
Keeping my gaze steady, I knelt to the hard floor, placing my hands on the cement ground. The surface was shockingly cold against my skin. My palms pushed into the ground as the man gripped Roman’s upper arm, jerking him into a corner of the room.
My upper lip curled instinctively as I watched him. Waiting for my opening.
I let my energy push into the cold floor, creating a mild vibrating sensation that could be felt through the room. My eyes stayed on the putrid man trying to control what was mine. Roman’s fear melted into confusion and stiffened into fear again. The ground rumbled beneath my hands and a small smile pulled at the corner of my mouth.
The man’s eyes widened and he looked around the room, searching for the source of what was causing the floor to shake. He yelled something in Russian, turned his head towards the open door and focused his words into the hall.
My body was finally beginning to show signs of strain from all of my physical activity and the desire to lay down and close my eyes began to sound tempting. I sucked in a deep breath and pushed harder into the ground.
The man released Roman’s arm, his hand with the gun moving to the wall to steady himself. I pulled my hands off the ground, and as if I was throwing a baseball, threw my hand forward with a wave of energy that smashed the man’s bald shiny head into the cinder block wall. He made a choking noise as his body thumped to the floor.
My hands dropped to my sides. I brought a knee up as I finally let my eyes settle on Roman. He still stood by the wall, the side of his face to me, his eyes on the ground. His dark hair was tucked behind an ear and his hands were wrapped around his elbows.
I rose to my feet, my eyes continuing to trail over him. Cringing at the stained lifeless gray jumpsuit that hung on his body. My eyes landed on his bare feet.
As I took
a step forward, my movements finally drew his attention to me. When his eyes met mine I froze.
Time stopped.
The gunfire around me disappeared.
The shouting faded.
Subconsciously, I took another step forward. My body wanted to be closer to him, wanted to touch him.
He was beautiful. Perfection. His long lashes framed wide hazel eyes, his chapped lips were full, his harsh jawline covered in dark stubble. His symmetry, his angles, his dark hair against his skin. I gaped openly at him.
His deep hazel eyes held mine, studying me, wary. Unsure. I watched as a hand moved to his chest and he rubbed. Drawing my eyes back up to his, I offered a small smile. I understood him. I understood his utter confusion and bewilderment at the feelings running through him for the first time.
My feet moved forward again and my smile faded as he backed away from me. His back hit the wall and his mouth pinched closed.
Fear.
Of me.
Bricks filled my stomach. “Roman?” I whispered.
His eyes widened slightly at the sound of his name. I held a hand forward to him. He glanced at it and back to my eyes. “Who are you?” he asked me. The sound of his voice rich in my ears. A voice I would love to hear all every day.
I couldn’t help the smile that came to my face, my eyes threatening to tear up. “Jade.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “My name is Jade.”
The ground under our feet suddenly shook with a hard bang sounding outside the window. Roman cringed, staring outside with wide eyes. “What is happening?”
I caught sight of a man trying to come up behind Pierce for a sneak approach and failing. “We came to take you away from here.”
His hand went back to his chest and his eyebrows came down. “We?”
I looked at his chest again, wanting so much to feel his vibrating energy under my palm. I yearned to feel him. But it would have to wait.
There was a sudden bang on the door and my head whipped around. Gavin stood there, new blood spatters lining his hands. He looked between Roman and me for a second. I reached out, wanting to feel his emotions. There was no anger, no hostility. Some reluctance, but mostly intense anxiety.
